Last week my eight-year-old son, Mason, was baptized by my husband, Greg. Mason is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or as most people call us—Mormons or Latter-day Saints (LDS).
It was one of those special, emotional, spiritual moments that we wish would pour down on our lives, but normally are more like the desert rains—less frequent but bringing great beauty and refreshment.
We Mormons wait to baptize our children until they can begin to be accountable for their actions. The youngest a child may be baptized is eight, and this is pretty standard for most LDS families, although I knew other children growing up who were baptized later, as their family felt comfortable.
As Greg and Mason entered the sunken baptismal font I felt a thrill of victory. Not because I thought he had been damned until this moment, but because baptism represents the gate that all need to pass through on the road of discipleship back to Christ. Baptism is a symbol of our willingness to be born again in Christ’s image and follow His example. It also symbolizes our willingness to be cleansed from, and forsake, anything that would keep us from Him. The joy came from a beginning not a conclusion.
Greg serves as an officer in the US Air Force, and as such he is dedicated to certain values and committed to specific principles. When he was commissioned an officer, he held his hand to the square and made promises that bind him in allegiance to the Constitution and to protecting our country and freedoms.
My thoughts jumped back to that moment as Greg stood next to Mason in the thigh-deep water wearing their white clothing and again raised his hand to the square and began to pray, “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ I baptize you…”
Greg does have authority as an officer, but it pales in comparison to the authority bestowed on him as a worthy priesthood bearer—a man who has been called and set apart to act in behalf of the Savior to do His work. He’s received his authority through the restoration of the priesthood. It’s the power of God on the earth.
As Mason was immersed in the water, I too felt immersed in the great blessings that come from being a member of Christ’s true church—the church that has His power and authority.
This article was written by Miranda Lotz, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Miranda H. Lotz is a military wife, mother of four, bibliophile and musician. She lives on a remote Air Force station in Cavalier, North Dakota
Miranda likes eating frozen cookie dough, playing with her four kids and her amazing husband, reading worthwhile things, and singing her lungs out. She graduated from BYU with a BA and continues learning new things everyday. She was recently interviewed for LDS Living in an article about how Latter-day Saints can better support military families and has been published in the Ensign magazine. She lives on a remote Air Force station in Cavalier in North Dakota where my husband is stationed in the USAF. We'll only be here for two more months, but for the past two years it's been home. We have four children Mason, Miriam, Cyrus and Gideon. They are ages 8, 6, 4, and 2 respectively. I love musical theater and am working on writing the book for a musical based on Corie ten Boom's "The Hiding Place." Have you read it? It's an amazing story and I feel priviledged to be able to create my own adaptation of it. I also sew a bit and sing and I exercise. And I read quite a bit. I've worked in the nursery for about a year as my calling.
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